Introducing Senior Airman Wally

I suppose I've let the suspension hang in the air long enough.

On Friday Tyson took the oath to join the Air National Guard. Stationed right here, with the 174th Fighter Wing. He's currently joining to do weather. Of all things. My husband the weather man. I LOL everytime I say that.

Doing weather includes 8 months of school in Mississippi and 3 1/2 in Jacksonville. Luckily, G & I will be able to go with him to MS. FL, not so much. We're still working on that little hiccup. I would like to somehow go to FL with him, but that would be out of our pocket. So we still need to weigh the pros & cons, and probably will not be able to make a final decision on that until the time is upon us.
We still don't know WHEN classes will start for Tyson. Still some more red tape to go through before he can officially be given his orders. We're hoping for a Fall start.

There are so many things this means to our family. But first & foremost, I am so entirely proud of my husband. I practically light up when I get to say my husband is serving our country again.
Being a military WIFE, is so different that being a military fiance who also lives on the other side of the country.

God has started to lead us down an amazing path, and I am truly grateful for any opportunites that he may lay before us. To think of where our family was 4 months ago...everything felt like a struggle; even to just have a normal conversation between husband & wife was difficult and usually left me in tears. But the work HE has done in that short time, simply A-MAZING! (Oh how I wish I had opened that door a long time ago!)

I'm a Slacker

Yes, I know I’ve been a little absent. I always find the first post after a long pause….awkward. And considering not many people read this, can you just accept my apology & we’ll move on like nothing happened?

Ok good.

I haven’t really been able to find words worthy of sharing. Not to mention the stuff going on that I WANT to talk about, but the hubby & I agreed we wouldn’t until it was ‘for sure’. As of this Friday it should be ‘for sure’, so I’m going to keep the anticipation up for just a little longer. (Though it’s all over facebook, and our entire families know…I still feel like I shouldn’t share it with the rest of the world yet…and no, I’m not pregnant…)

Otherwise we’ve been keeping busy at the Wally House. Since my last post we’ve had G’s first birthday party, my grandparents arrived home from FL (and we’re all adjusting to having 5 people in the house again), my sister’s bridal shower was this past weekend and coming up this Saturday is a BBQ for my dad’s 50^th.

I’m learning I enjoy planning parties & get togethers. I just wish I had more time & funds to devote to them.

I apologize for my kind of lame-o post. G shared her cold with me, and even my thoughts are congested.

I’m also going to be working on the look of my blog, and possibly renaming it. So this place is officially under construction. Please excuse our mess. J

The BIG Number ONE

Today is G's First Birthday!!!

I had already anticipated that all day I'd look at the clock and have vivid memories of what was going on a year ago at that time. That around 4:00-5:00pm things would begin to get fuzzy as that's the point I reached the "transition temper tantrum phase". What I hadn't expected is that as I would get those flashes of memories, I'd be encouraging myself. To breath through the contraction, to get through that push...that there's so much more to look forward to than just holding that little baby. You have this amazing little girl to look forward to.

I had not anticipated that my voice would quiver as we'd start to sing the first line of "Happy Birthday"...and I wonder if anyone else noticed.

At night, when I rock G while she drinks her nighttime bottle, is usually when emotions flood me. All the maternal emotions of how amazing this creature is. What a great gift God has given me. Tonight is no different. Yet it was so easy to compare, and become nostalgic. A year ago I was nursing her for the first time, not giving her a bottle of formula/cow milk mix. And when she snuggles on my shoulder for a couple minutes before being laid down, that a year ago she fit perfectly on my chest in a little bundle....her arms & legs didn't drape around my whole body. As my silent tears begin to flow, letting myself mourn the loss of her "babyhood"...I feel a little hand pat my shoulder. And I know I've got an amazing little girl to look forward to. And really, those 11, 2 & 5am feedings...weren't all that fun.

Then G pushes away from my chest, and waves good-bye. Telling me it's time to turn out the light, turn on her cd player and lay her down for the night.

At exactly 8:20 pm my little girl is a year old! I think I may have to sneak back into her room, and give her one more goodnight kiss to officially celebrate her birth.

Spring has Sprung...well it's trying...

Even though the weather can’t seem to make up its mind…I can feel spring. Some days you can actually feel it in the air: the warmer weather, the sounds of birds returning from the south, a muddy yard, flood warnings instead of winter weather advisories…but I feel spring in a different way.

Springtime is all about change. When a cold tundra turns into beautiful lush yards & fields full of birds, bugs, flowers & grass. It’s about starting anew, with spring cleaning, opening windows to let the fresh air in & finally hanging your clothes to dry on the line, like you swear you will do every year. Last year it meant a new baby. This year it means a new toddler. I can’t wait to see her run through the yard, to swing on the swing with her, teach her how to use the slide her cousins are handing down to her.

This year our family has taken the ‘freshness’ and ‘newness’ to a different level. Tyson started a new job today. In a construction field he has missed dearly. With Monday-Friday hours and much room for advancement & pay hikes. Roofing does require some long hours, and possibly a couple out of town trips…but that’s nothing we can’t handle. And maybe I’ll even learn to make those times fun for Miss G & me.

It’s nice to finally take a big exhale and enjoy the world unfolding around us. God is so good.

Drug Free's the Way to Be!

***Disclaimer. You are about to read an article about one of two subjects in the world that I am incredibly passionate about. I am not ideal pushing....I'm just sharing my thoughts.***

I should not read things that will frustrate me. I should not read things that will frustrate me. I should not read things that will frustrate me.

With that said....WHY DO I READ THINGS THAT WILL FRUSTRATE ME?

Okay I feel a little better.
I ventured onto a  message board about an entirely different subject and found a post about natural childbirth.
First let me say - while I believe that natural childbirth is amazing and that women have been lead to believe that it is a painful, scary process - I understand that it can't always be done. Some people think it's crazy to even consider. The glory of America is we get to choose what is best for us & our babies.

But oh how I can't stand when women, who don't like natural childbirth, try to back up their argument with statements like "I don't see how it can be good for the baby if the mother is all stressed out from pain."

Let's get one thing straight - labor IS natural. You're not supposed to be all vegged out & comfy, sitting in bed, waiting for the nurse to tell you it's okay to push.

I scoffed when I read an article about Giselle Budchen stating that she wasn't in pain when she labored. (The scoff was partially due to the fact she's married to Tom Brady, and I am, after all, a Giants fan.) I was early in my pregnancy at the time, and hadn't really begun to research natural childbirth. However, reading that article started the gears in my head & I started to research. Boy am I glad I did.

When I was in labor with G it was no picnic, but I can honestly say that I never considered myself to be in pain. I consider "in pain" to be a gun shot wound, a bone protruding from your flesh, something along those lines...not labor.

I now regard my daughter's birth as the single most amazing experience of my life. (As all women should regard the birth of their children.) Yet when I think of her birth...I begin to daydream about the day I actually get to experience labor & birth again.

Yes, you read that right.

Have Your People Call My People

Don’t ask me why, but I have completely fallen in love with the idea of a mommy calling card.

I have no use for them. I work all day, at a desk, with people I’ve worked with for years. (And also have company bought business cards.) G doesn’t go to any play groups, preschool or anything of the sort – but I absolutely love the idea of having a little calling card declaring me to be G’s mama! LOVE IT.

So of course, I made myself some. One never knows when you might need a calling card! And I would hate for the moment to arise and I’d have to say “oh…here let me write my information on a napkin for you”. I wanna whip one of these babies out!

Now…I have a confession to make. I am a little obsessed with paisley. Have been for awhile. I don’t know exactly when it started. Perhaps when I was watching country singer Brad Paisley and realized his guitar was actually paisley. I knew I never would play guitar, let alone play a paisley guitar so I just became obsessed with the pattern instead. So much so that when we finally move, G’s new room will be completely based off a fun paisley (yet to be found) fabric for her curtains.

With that said. I did not use paisley on these cards. I was looking for paisley, and found a fun free clip art instead. Fun & Free. Score. (That and the paisley pattern I originally choose was not cooperating with my specifications, so I booted it off the project.)

So without further ado…. my calling card.

Makes you want to call me, huh?

The *real* card has my actual last name, G’s entire first name and my phone number not Jenny’s.

One of Life's Weird Coincidences

Today I had one of those “NO WAY!” moments.

I don’t know what made me think of it. Maybe knowing how Tyson is struggling to find work again, and how that’s been a trend with him since getting out of the Navy. How I was lucky to land the job I currently have, I started as a temp through a family member (whom I don’t even have contact with anymore) and now, 2 ½ years later, I’m an asset to this department.

Over the span of several years I worked for a portrait studio on & off. The job was always there when I needed it. It was a sanctuary for me when I was lonely & missing Tyson – there was always someone there to make me smile and work to be done to keep me busy. Then one day we received a phone call that the store would be closing 48 hours from then.

My whole world had been turned upside down when I heard this news. Between the loss of my sanctuary and Tyson being deployed I went into a semi-depression. Until that day life was promising. Tyson was being discharged in 2 months he’d move back to NY, get a job and we’d start our life together. Now we were looking at neither of us being employed & didn’t know which way to turn. The future we dreamt of felt so far away. It was today that I realized – we got that fateful store closing phone call on March 24^th. Three years later on that exact same day my life would be turned upside down once again with the birth of our beautiful daughter. (At least it was turned upside down in a good way this time!!)

We still might be struggling for parts of that dream we had 3 years ago. Certainly one amazing dream was realized in that bouncing baby girl.

Who knows where we’ll be 3 years from the day Tyson lost his job. It’s all in God’s plan. I was just never one to master the art of patience.

Just enough

The beginning of every weekend I always start out with big ambition; to do some project, make some new meal or clean, clean, clean.

This weekend I definitely had big ideas – I was going to organize our bedroom, start working on some decorations for G’s birthday party and maybe try to make a pillow out of an old sweater. (Not to mention print out the party invitations, catch up on laundry, etc, etc, etc…)

Let’s see….I finished….none of the above. I did do some damage with the clutter in our bedroom, including completely organizing my side of the bed. I really should have taken before & after pictures, but I was a woman on a mission (and naptime was coming to a close) so I had to rush rush rush! This coming weekend hopefully I’ll tackle the closet. That will definitely require a before & after picture!!

Trust me. I’ve slept much better knowing I won’t trip over a pile of old paper work & magazines overflowing from a basket, if the baby wakes up in the middle of the night.

I did *buy* the things I need to make the party decorations. (At least the two-pack of Styrofoam balls did lead to a weekends worth of bad jokes & inappropriate innuendo between Tyson & me.)And really, let’s be honest, the invites don’t have to go out for at least another 10 days, so I was just being unrealistic with that one!

I didn’t make an incredible meal for my family. Saturday while grocery shopping we found Digornio made a pizza & cookies package…so of course we had to buy that. (My husband loves cookies. It’s an illness.) And last night was hotdogs. I just wasn’t channeling Betty Crocker this weekend.

All in all, I guess I accomplished something.

I spent time with my happy little family, so everything else really doesn’t matter.

Travel Hangover

I am mentally recovering from a trip to NYC this past weekend. G went along with me for a girls weekend with a couple of my friends, and one of their daughters (who is one day younger than G)! It was a weekend of many first for G – first time in NYC, first train trip, first travel delay (5 hours thanks to frozen tracks & switches), first time in a Starbucks…

While in NY we visited FAO Schwarz & Dylan’s Candy Bar. We also went to Chinatown & Little Italy – for some retail therapy! (And ate yummy NY food, including a HUGE slice of pizza.) After I lived in NYC for a few months I’ve had this huge mental list of things I didn’t get to do & see while I was there, and I’ve only just scratched the surface with this trip.

I apologize for the lack of pictures from the trip. We were really cramming in as much as we could. And despite the 40 degree temps, it was a little too windy to stand around outside with a baby to pose for pictures. Next time. I promise!

Someday I’ll get my country bumkin husband down there, I really think he’d enjoy the historical aspect of NYC. And I really enjoy experiencing historical adventures with my husband, because it’s something he & I are both interested in – and I want the opportunity to share that with him & our children.

Now it’s time to switch gears. We’ve got a trip to Boston coming up and somebody’s BIG DAY on March 24^th. (I can’t believe it’s almost been a year!!)

February Blues

The bitter cold of this winter is starting to make this mama weary. I’m sluggish, and feeling lazy – though I know that is definitely not the case. It’s not cabin fever, because I’m certainly out of the house enough. (Probably more than I’d like to be…)

I now know why bears hibernate in the winter. I wish I could do that right about now. I’ve got a nice warm, comfy, fuzzy blanket on my bed, which is calling my name. (This blanket is magical; the baby will even cuddle with you for a period of time, as long as you have this blanket wrapped around you both! The warmth of the blanket & a snugglie baby, nothing is better!)

Everything seems to move slower when it’s cold. And I think that’s where I’m at right now. I’ve got some big things coming up, so hopefully I can thaw out a bit before then. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy this leisurely pace.

Whether the weather be fine, Whether the weather be not, Whether the weather be cold, Whether the weather be hot, We'll weather the weather, Whatever the weather, Whether we like it or not"